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However, at the beginning, Zhao Xu made repeated orders to prohibit the trade of salt with Xixia. Now that there is such a large influx of Xixia salt, the government and the public are shocked when the news reaches the capital.

Those ministers who actively opposed the opening of Xihe border also took the opportunity to impeach Wang Shao, stating that this was all Wang Shao's fault and seeking personal gain.

Zhao Xu also quickly convened a council meeting to discuss the matter.

"The opening of the Xihe border is the largest territorial recovery of our country since Taizong. The new border defense has some omissions, which is reasonable. On the contrary, it is the people who impeached Wang Xuanfu. Your Majesty should really ask them what they are.

What's your intention?"

Wang Anshi said extremely angrily.

Zhao Xu immediately nodded and said: "Although I have repeatedly strictly prohibited trading salt with Xixia, this situation is extremely special and Wang Xuanfu's contribution is unquestionable. I will not listen to those slanderous words."

Jiang Zhiqi asked: "How to deal with the illegal salt that flows into the country? With so much illegal salt, the salt cannot be sold, which will seriously affect fiscal revenue."

Zhao Xu asked: "Why didn't the local government investigate strictly?"

Sima Guang immediately stood up and said: "Because there has been a salt panic in the border states recently, and the people cannot buy salt, Xizhou will use the original salt illegal case as the standard, regard salt as a life-saving medicine, and will not pursue it."

Zhao Xu asked again: "Why is there a salt panic in Bianzhou?"

Jiang Zhiqi immediately said: "This is all caused by the salt debt. When the Hezhong Prefecture issued the salt debt, Yin ate the grain, so that the banknote merchants and salt merchants knew that there would definitely be a shortage of salt this year, which is why the salt panic in Bianzhou was triggered."

"That's nonsense."

Wang Anshi angrily said: "There is only so much salt every year. No matter whether the government eats the grain or not, the people should not be short of salt. This is all because those salt merchants deliberately used the salt debt as an excuse to hold back the salt in their hands and not sell it, waiting for the price to rise.

, this is a man-made disaster.”

He has always been very hostile to these businessmen, and many of the regulations in his new policy are aimed at cracking down on these wealthy businessmen.

Jiang Zhiqi argued: "That's because the salt debt gave them this opportunity."

Wang Anshi smiled and said: "Then they will reap the consequences now."

Jiang Zhiqi said: "But issuing salt debts for a long time is not acceptable!"

"Why not."

Wang Anshi said: "This Xihe war was all paid for by the northwest finance, and it did not harm the people of the northwest. This feat has never been done before."

Having said this, he glanced at Sima Guang.

Sima Guang was immediately embarrassed and speechless.

Due to this incident, news from the northwest states reached the capital, including logistical support for Xihe, which indeed did not deplete the people of the northwest.

They all found it incredible.

However, when opening the border, Sima Guang and others were very worried. Now adding another battlefield would seriously damage the people's power in the northwest.

He also heard Wang Anshi say: "There is also a contribution to this from the salt debt. If grain and grass were transported from the capital at that time, do you know how much manpower and material resources it would cost? At the same time, this money should have been allocated by the national treasury. Now the national treasury

It should also bear part of the burden for the northwest finance, and in total, the national treasury will also save a lot of losses."

Such a big battle should not have been shouldered by the northwest finance. However, due to the sudden incident, the court was in a hurry. Almost all the money came from the northwest. It is just that the court allocated all the money that should have been paid to the court to Xihe.

.

Zhao Xu nodded and said, "What Scholar Wang said makes sense!"

Jiang Zhiqi was blinded by Wang Anshi's rhetoric, and shouted repeatedly: "You are wrong, the salt debt means Yin eats Mao grain. If the imperial court is only responsible for the money that should be paid, the Hezhong government's finances will not be able to afford it by then.

.”

Wang Anshi proudly said: "This means that the people do not pay taxes but the state uses money. Part of the money earned from issuing salt debts is used for disarmament expenses, and part of it is used to develop water conservancy and people's livelihood, so that the tax revenue of Hezhong Prefecture is increasing every year."

If the price rises, the money earned will be far greater than the interest on the salt debt, so there will naturally be a surplus."

Zhao Xu said in surprise: "Really?"

Wang Anshi was silent and looked at Lu Gongzhu.

Lu Gongzhu immediately stood up and said: "Your Majesty, the finances of Hezhong Mansion have indeed increased year by year, especially last year. Compared with three years ago, it has increased more than three times. However, all of it has been used for the Xihe War.

Just go into the treasury.”

"three times?"

Many ministers were immediately shocked.

A government's finances have tripled. This is truly unprecedented!

Lu Gongzhu further explained: "Half of this is because disarmament has led to reduced fiscal expenditures."

The benefits of this savings have gradually emerged.

If it hadn't been for the war, the finances of Hezhong Mansion would have blinded everyone. Unfortunately, it was all sent to Xihe, and not a penny went into the treasury, so it didn't attract much attention.

Wang Anshi immediately said: "The cost of disarmament at the beginning was mainly based on salt debt."

Sima Guang immediately stood up and said, "The public prosecutor and the procuratorate also played an important role in this."

Wang Anshi chuckled and said, "I'm not denying this."

Zhao Xu laughed and said: "Okay! Okay! The success of Hezhong Mansion is enough to prove that my original choice was not wrong."

Everyone began to compete for credit.

Wang Anshi added: "As for those illegal salts, there is no need to make a fuss about it. Your Majesty banned the trade of salt with Xixia in the first place in order to weaken Xixia's finances. Now that all the salt has entered the country, Xixia has already received the money it deserves. It will be more difficult to pursue it again."

What’s the point? Anyway, tax is calculated based on income over there now, and those who sell private salt also have to pay tax!”

Zhao Xu nodded and said: "That's right. It doesn't matter if we recover the five states of Hehuang and let Xixia make some money. However, we still need to urge envoy Wang Xuan to take good care of the border to avoid such omissions again.

.”
Chapter completed!